IntermediateChinese Idiom (成语)

草木皆兵

cǎo mù jiē bīng

“Every tree and blade of grass is a soldier”

Meaning: To see soldiers in every tree and blade of grass; to be overly fearful; to be in a state of extreme panic; to imagine enemies everywhere

Character-by-Character Breakdown

The Story Behind 草木皆兵

Source:《晋书·苻坚载记》

Period:Eastern Jin Dynasty (317–420)

The Battle of Feishui

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the Former Qin emperor Fu Jian led a massive army to attack the Eastern Jin.

Before the Battle of Feishui, Fu Jian and his brother Fu Rong climbed the city wall to observe the enemy forces.

They saw the well-organized Eastern Jin army and, looking north at Mount Bagong, every tree and blade of grass appeared to be enemy soldiers.

Fu Jian, already nervous, became even more fearful, thinking the enemy forces were much larger than they actually were.

This excessive fear contributed to his defeat in the Battle of Feishui, one of the most famous battles in Chinese history.

Original Classical Chinese

坚与苻融登城而望王师，见部阵齐整，将士精锐；又北望八公山上，草木皆类人形，顾谓融曰："此亦劲敌也，何谓少乎？"怃然有惧色。

How to Use 草木皆兵

This idiom is used to describe a state of extreme panic or fear where one imagines enemies everywhere.

It emphasizes that fear can distort perception, making harmless things appear threatening.

The idiom is often used to describe situations where someone is so frightened that they see threats in everything.

When to use:

Use when describing extreme panic or fear
Often used to describe situations where fear distorts perception
Can be used to warn against excessive fear

Common Mistake

Don't confuse this with being cautious. It specifically refers to extreme panic or fear that distorts perception, making harmless things appear threatening.

Example Sentences

他因为害怕，变得草木皆兵，觉得周围都是危险。

Tā yīnwèi hàipà, biàn dé cǎo mù jiē bīng, juédé zhōuwéi dōu shì wēixiǎn.

Because of fear, he became overly fearful, thinking everything around him was dangerous.

不要草木皆兵，这些只是普通的树木。

Bùyào cǎo mù jiē bīng, zhèxiē zhǐshì pǔtōng de shùmù.

Don't be overly fearful. These are just ordinary trees.

他最近草木皆兵，对任何声音都感到害怕。

Tā zuìjìn cǎo mù jiē bīng, duì rènhé shēngyīn dōu gǎndào hàipà.

He has been overly fearful recently, afraid of any sound.

Practice Writing

Generate a free printable worksheet with all 4 characters from this idiom.

Generate Worksheet (4 Characters)

Or explore each character:

草stroke order 木stroke order 皆stroke order 兵stroke order

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 草木皆兵 (cǎo mù jiē bīng) mean?

草木皆兵 literally means "every tree and blade of grass is a soldier." Figuratively, it means to see soldiers in every tree and blade of grass, to be overly fearful, or to be in a state of extreme panic. It describes situations where fear distorts perception.

What is the story behind 草木皆兵?

The idiom comes from the Battle of Feishui during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The Former Qin emperor Fu Jian, already nervous before battle, looked at Mount Bagong and saw every tree and blade of grass as enemy soldiers. This excessive fear contributed to his defeat.

How do you use 草木皆兵 in a sentence?

Use 草木皆兵 when describing extreme panic or fear. For example: "他因为害怕，变得草木皆兵" (Because of fear, he became overly fearful). It emphasizes that fear distorts perception.

What is the difference between 草木皆兵 and 杯弓蛇影?

Both idioms describe excessive fear, but 草木皆兵 specifically refers to seeing enemies everywhere (every tree and blade of grass as soldiers), while 杯弓蛇影 refers to mistaking one thing for another due to fear. 草木皆兵 emphasizes seeing threats everywhere, 杯弓蛇影 emphasizes mistaken perception.

Is 草木皆兵 difficult to learn?

草木皆兵 is considered intermediate level. It uses characters of varying difficulty (草 HSK3, 木 HSK2, 皆 HSK5, 兵 HSK4). The historical story is memorable and the concept is clear.